


Late Night Meetings

by guessimdemoms



Category: Ben Brainard, Welcome To The Statehouse (Web Series), Welcome To The Table
Genre: Florida is so in love, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Mentions of Lady Gaga, Other States (mentioned), References to David Bowie, Useless Gays, someone please help him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:54:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29325021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guessimdemoms/pseuds/guessimdemoms
Summary: Other than hookups, which he was wearing thin on now that he thought of it, Florida had no place for love in his life. He was hurt too many times, and he watched too many lovers die to ever fall in love again.
Relationships: Florida State/Washington D.C. United States (Anthropomorphic), Florida/Original Male Character





	Late Night Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> FINALLY we get to learn how these two useless gays meet. 
> 
> I might do a George profile soon just so I can describe him. 
> 
> Also remember George is basically DC!

Florida swug back some beer and looked around at the crowded bar full of drunk people either trying to fight each other or hook up. 

What a night for Loui to say no. 

The small state sighed and swirling the beer around in his bottle, he had such a weird day. He had heard from Texas that the abandoned Everglades Gatorland was discovered to still have gators left from when the park was closed and went to go check it out. The news was already there and some scrawny, nervous-looking man was doing some reporting on the story. Florida would be remiss that he didn’t find the reporter cute, but was more focused on seeing the gators then hitting on cute guys. 

As luck would have it a gator emerged from the abandoned building, but the reporter, and to an extent his handlers, didn’t notice it at first. But Florida did. He watched as the gator got closer and closer to the news crew, and the news crew was completely oblivious to it until it was close enough to snap the reporter's leg off. 

“THOMAS.” One of the cameramen finally warned, forcing the man (Thomas?) to whip around. At that point Florida burst into action, dive bombing the reporter away from the gator and pinning him to the ground. 

Florida took another swig as he clearly remembered what the reporter looked like, shocked and pinned to the ground. Deep, almost black eyes, a slight scuffle, and Too Weird to Live too Rare to Die Brendon Urie era hair. The two laid together in the long grass as the news crew scrambled to get rid of the gator, neither of them spoke, just completely lost in each other. 

“Stop...thinking….about….him…” Florida ordered his brain, banging his hands against the sides of his head. Other than hookups, which he was wearing thin on now that he thought of it, he had no place for love in his life. He was hurt too many times, and he watched too many lovers die to ever fall in love again. Plus there was DC’s stupid rule, not that he planned on following it anyway….

“Hey!” 

Florida felt his heart drop to his stomach when he glanced up. 

The same reporter, the one who he saved, sat next to him, still in his outfit from earlier that day, although with his tie completely gone. 

“You’re the guy!” The reporter announced. “You save me from that gator….” 

“I-It was nothing…” Florida muttered trying not to look at the reporters eyes. 

“Nah I could’ve been gator food! Leave Logan to not pay attention.” The man huffed rolling his eyes. 

“Right place at the right time.” Florida pointed out finally looking up, heat pooling in his chest. 

“Anyway I wanted to thank you, you really saved my life.” The man smiled and Florida felt heat rise on his cheeks. 

“I’m George by the way, George Thomas.” George announced. 

“I’m Fl--JUAN Le Ponz.” Florida quickly corrected. 

“Like the explorer?” George asked, tilting his head. 

“Y-Yeah.” Florida blushed mentally cursing Spain. 

“I’ve heard stranger.” George said with a shrug before standing up. “Anyway thanks again, I better go before my tacos go cold and they think I’ve dined and dashed--” Florida’s head shot up at tacos. 

“Tacos? What kind?” Florida asked. George smiled and Florida felt the heat pooling again. 

“Korean, want some?” 

“Fuck yeah!” Florida cheered, jumping up and joining George at one of the back tables of the bar. 

“So then Peyton, he was the little one in the glasses by the camera, he decided even after I nearly got eaten that I should go down by the swamp for the next shot! Who the fuck does that?” George ranted on his third taco later on that night. 

“Your crew sounds whack.” Florida pointed out, struggling with his own taco as the contents spilled out. 

“Nah they’re good they just share a collective two brain cells between them.” George said, rolling his eyes. “So what do you do for work?” Florida swallowed his beef hard as his brain scrambled to come up with something. He usually had a list of fake jobs if a hookup asked, but he couldn’t access it for the life of him. 

“I uh….I own my own club in Miami.” Florida lied. 

“Really?” George gasped. 

“Y-Yeah I run it with a few of my friends, it’s small but gets a lot of foot traffic.” Florida continued reaching for his bottle of beer. 

“That’s so cool! I’m not much of a club guy, that’s more my sister, but that’s so cool.” George gasped reaching for his own bottle. Their fingers grazed one of the empty bottles, and they briefly looked at each other wide-eyed in shock before glancing away embarrassed. 

“You’re losing your touch Florida.” Florida thought. 

“Hey um.” George cleared his throat. “Want to take a walk to work off these tacos?” 

“A walk would be good!” Florida announced quickly as George took out his wallet to pay. He mentally face palmed himself after hearing how desperate he sounded. 

“Smooth Florida, smooth.” 

“Ya know Jenny says this area is scary but I don’t think it is.” George announced later that night as he and Florida walked around the neighborhood the bar was in. The night was cool, like it was early fall, and the two could see their breaths in the air. 

“What does she think everywhere is like Daytona?” Florida teased making George snort.

“Yes.” George snickered and Florida could feel himself blushing again. The two walked a little while in silence before George froze. 

“A RECORD SHOP?” George yelled. 

“Big Al’s? Oh yeah, he has some great stuff.” Florida announced. He could still remember the time, as a prank, he and Loui sold half of California’s record collection to him. It was so funny, California was so mad!

“We need to go!” George announced grabbing Florida’s arm. Florida couldn’t even think of the burning sensation he felt, because he was pulled across the street faster than DC has a temper tantrum during meetings. George burst into the record shop and looked around in awe before scurrying off, followed by a dazed Florida. Florida looked around the shop and felt instantly comforted; the dim lighting, the mixture of mildew, incense, and pot in the air, Colorado would really like this place. George was already shuffling through the records excitedly, and Florida couldn’t help the smile spreading across his face. The small state went to join the reporter, looking at his own shelf of records, before he heard the shopkeeper call from the counter. 

“Hey there’s headphones if you want to listen to one!”

“Sweet!” George whispered before grabbing the headphones hanging on the small hook by the shelf. Florida fought off the small smile as he continued to shift through the records, before freezing. 

George was softly singing behind him.

Florida turned slowly around and saw George, completely forgetting about flipping through the records, getting lost in the song. For a while Florida’s world completely stopped; George wasn’t the best singer but he was so into the song, and he looked so adorable just standing there jamming out to music. 

Eventually George’s eyes opened and he saw Florida staring at him, and immediately blushed. 

“Uh….Bowie…” George quickly recovered, holding out one of the headphones. Florida grinned and took one of the headphones so they could both listen to the song together, awkwardness now completely gone. 

“Man I don’t know how you’ll carry all those!” Florida said about an hour later, watching Florida struggle to carry a reusable bag full of records. 

“Hey I’m managing!” George argued, but the laugh never leaving his voice. The two rounded a corner to a more busier area of the neighborhood, albeit a touch more abandoned due to the late hour. The two walked down the street chatting, about music or Florida’s job, when George’s cell phone went off in his pocket. 

“Shit hang on, I bet it’s the tech guy.” George muttered, pulling out his phone and rolling his eyes. Florida patiently waited as George finished his call, a mischievous grin on his face. 

“Just as I thought, Chuck lost my sound halfway through my segment about the gators, well excuse me I was nearly attacked--what’s that look?” George asked. 

“Was that Gaga?” Florida teased. George went bright red. 

“Y-Yeah it’s….from Chromatica.” George mumbled. 

“Are you a big fan?” Florida asked. 

“I had a MySpace page dedicated to her in 2008, what does that tell you?” George said with a wink. 

“So you’re one of those gays.” Florida teased further. 

“And what about you? You recognized it.” George teased back. 

“Oh my buddy Cal-PETER really loves Lady Gaga too. He knows all the moves.” Florida explained. George scoffed. “What was that?” 

“I memorized all of Lady Gaga’s moves as a Little Monster, does he really think he can beat me?” George smirked. 

“I’ve seen Peter, he’s really good.” Florida pointed out smiling. George thrust his bag in Florida’s chest and moved out to the middle of the sidewalk. 

“Give me a song.” George ordered. 

“Uh….I’m more of a hard rock guy.” Florida said shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“C’mon Peter must’ve rubbed off of you…” George smiled. Florida bit his lip and smiled shyly. 

“Bad Romance.” 

“Should’ve given me something harder.” George smirked. He took a deep breath, and tapped his foot creating the beat of the song before launching into the choreography for the music video. Florida watched in amazement as George finished, panting slightly. 

“I….I hate too many tacos…” George gasped. 

“That….was AMAZING.” Florida yelled. 

“Could Peter do that?” George asked, taking his bag back. 

“You would kick Peter’s ass!” Florida said with a bright smile. George blushed and looked down the street to hide his reddening cheeks. 

“HEY there’s an ice cream shop! Want to get some?” George asked quickly. 

“I’ll pay this time since I ate half your tacos.” Florida offered. 

“I did eat a lot.” George said with a shrug but smiling softly at the state before the two walking off. 

“And then Adam FLIPS OUT because Robert brought an ouija board! We only tried to summon a demon once.” Florida explained as the two walked down a lonely sidewalk later that night eating ice cream. 

“Adam sounds like a tight ass, he and Logan would get along.” George snickered licking his ice cream. 

“Yeah I don’t know why we don’t put Cecil in charge but, Adam wouldn’t have it.” Florida muttered, rolling his eyes. The two stopped in front of the steps leading up to the second floor of the apartments and finished up their ice creams in silence. 

“Hey. I really had fun tonight.” George confessed. Florida felt his heart shutter. 

“M-Me too.” Florida whispered. Something in him gnawed; he didn’t want to have a one night stand with George, he wanted something more. 

“A-And hey, if you ever wanted to….I dunno text or call…” George stuttered before grabbing Florida’s hand, a pen out of his pocket, and quickly writing a number down on Florida’s palm. 

“Really?” Florida gasped happily. 

“Y-Yeah….I won’t talk your ear off…..I promise….” George said with a shy smile. Florida couldn’t help the somersaults his stomach was doing as he looked at the shy reporter. In an instant the two moved at once, heads getting closer to each other, bodies joining together, lips almost touching for that first kiss….

Until they were rudely interrupted by a flood light. 

“THOMAS. You got my cheez whip?” A shrill voice screamed from the second floor. 

“YES Maryann.” George groaned, quickly breaking away from Florida. 

“What about my--” 

“Your foot cream too, yes.” George said rolling his eyes, then doing the crazy symbol with his finger to make Florida giggle. 

“Well alright, night!” Maryann called before turning off the flood light. 

“What was that?” Florida asked. 

“Oh that’s Maryann. We kind of have a deal, I bring her cheez whip and foot cream once a week, she kills the roaches in my apartment.” George explained with a shrug. Florida shuffled his feet nervously. 

“I...I guess this is goodnight.” Florida whispered. George smiled and patted Florida on the shoulder. 

“Don’t be a stranger, okay?” George whispered before turning and heading up the stairs. Florida watched him disappear into the dark night, his heart still thundering from their near kiss. 

Jesus Fuck he was in love. 

“What do you MEAN re-do the shot?” 

“The sun was in the way! You’re completely white!”

“I’m already paler than pale!”

“Well the suns not helping!” 

George ran a hand down his face the next day in the production trailer for the news crew. It had been a stressful morning; they had to go cover a story about teens sitting fire to an old Sears and Logan was already annoyed about getting his ‘perfect shot’. They already tried filming the scene two times in practice, and they were going live in an hour. 

“We’re doing this one more time and then I’m done, what WFTV gets is what WFTV gets.” George announced. 

“That doesn’t win you broadcaster of the year awards.” Logan pointed out. 

“Oh yeah Logan that’s such a big reward. All you get is some cheap ass trophy and a ten dollar Subway gift card.” George said, rolling his eyes. 

“Do you want to lose it to our competitors?” Logan asked. Silence filled the production truck, broken only by George opening the door. 

“When I get back, you better be ready to film our last practice take.” George hissed before storming out. He pushed past camera crews and assistants as he made his way to the craft service table, muttering to himself about how useless everyone was. He was already on his third cup of coffee today and was anticipating his fourth with how well things were going, although nothing would beat his record of twelve. 

“Fucking Logan, always trying to make news stories about alligators and arson Oscor worthy.” George mumbled, fixing up his coffee. “I should’ve gone to work for WJCT. I bet I wouldn’t have to put up with this bullshit….” 

“George!” George paused and whipped around to see a familiar face standing in the middle of production.

“Juan?” George gasped breaking out in a huge smile, abandoning his coffee, and hurrying over. “How’d you know….” 

“I asked Maryann, you need better friends. She's way too quick to give out your location.” Florida announced making George laugh. 

“She’s also on meth half the time.” George said, making Florida snicker. “But wait, what about….don’t you have a meeting? Won’t Adam be mad?” 

“Eh, right now he’s asking Illinois and Maine about their COVID numbers, he has plenty of headaches.” Florida announced. 

“Illinois? Maine? Your friends have weird nicknames.” George said with a laugh. 

“Heh...yeah….nicknames….” 

“Hey, I have some time before Logan wants to do his FINAL PRACTICE TAKE.” George yelled, hoping Logan heard him. “Want to see the site of the arson?” 

“DO I?” Florida said smilingly brightly. The two made their way off to the abandoned Sears, Florida telling George about his morning so far (Robert tried to burn one of Stephen’s hats, and Alex filmed it all) while George listened to the story happily excited to see the smaller man talk.

And if, maybe, when Florida’s fingertips touched George’s and then clasped it to hold hands, George gave a squeeze back and the two continued to walk like that, as if they had been together forever.

**Author's Note:**

> State Names Florida uses: 
> 
> Robert: Louisiana   
> Stephen: Texas  
> Peter: California  
> Adam: DC  
> Cecil: (Delaware)   
> Alex: (Alaska)


End file.
